What Architects and Builders Need From Residential Elevator Specifications Before Breaking Ground

Most elevator complications on residential projects start at the drawing board, when shaft clearances go unconfirmed and framing decisions are locked before anyone has residential elevator specifications in hand. Getting this information into the design set early changes how every related decision gets made, from structural framing to door locations to mechanical coordination with other trades. This guide covers what design professionals need to know before the rough work starts.

What the Code Requires

Meeting residential elevator code requirements in New York and Pennsylvania starts with the ASME A17.1 residential elevator safety code, which governs installation standards across both states. In New York, the Department of Labor’s Elevator Safety Program requires that systems pass inspection by a state-certified inspector before going into service, and the installation must be performed by a New York State registered contractor.

Pennsylvania follows comparable oversight through the Department of Labor & Industry, with additional local jurisdiction requirements that can vary by county. For projects with commercial adjacency or public access components, ICC A117.1 accessibility standards may also apply, which affects cab dimensions and landing configurations.

Confirming which code path applies early prevents submittal revisions and inspection delays later in the project.

Hoistway & Shaft Dimensions: Plan the Space Before You Frame

Elevator hoistway dimensions are one of the first things an installer needs from the architect and one of the first things the architect needs from the installer. The specifics shift meaningfully depending on which system is being specified, so the conversation about hoistway size and shaft configuration should happen in parallel with system selection.

Traditional Hoistway Systems

A traditional elevator requires a dedicated vertical shaft running from the lowest served floor to the top landing, a pit below the lowest floor, and overhead clearance above the highest landing. Pit depth for most residential systems runs between 8 and 14 inches below finished floor level, and overhead clearance requirements typically fall between 11 and 14 feet above the top landing depending on the model and drive configuration.

The home elevator shaft footprint for a traditional system generally ranges from 16 to 25 square feet, and that number shifts based on cab interior size, counterweight placement, guide rail clearance, and door swing at each landing. All framing around the hoistway needs to account for both static and dynamic loading, which means the structural engineer of record should be part of the coordination conversation before design development wraps up.

Small-Footprint & Shaftless Options

Small footprint home elevators can change the design conversation entirely. Shaftless systems like the Stiltz Duo and Stiltz Trio use a self-supporting rail structure that requires no pit and no overhead machine room, with a combined installation footprint starting at approximately 19 to 24 square feet of clear floor area.

These systems can be positioned in open plan areas without a purpose-built enclosure, which makes them a practical option for both new builds where the floor plan is tight and retrofit projects where creating a shaft would require significant structural work.

Machine Rooms, Drive Systems & Structural Needs

Drive system selection determines whether the project needs a dedicated machine room, how much mechanical space gets allocated above or beside the shaft, and what electrical service the building must provide.

Many modern systems have shifted well past the traditional overhead machine room requirement, with machine-room-less (MRL) configurations now standard across several product lines. Confirming the drive system during design development, rather than late in construction documents, keeps those downstream trades aligned.

Items to confirm with the elevator specialist before structural drawings are finalized:

Machine room: Hydraulic systems require a dedicated room adjacent to the shaft; inline gear drive and MRL systems integrate all mechanicals within the hoistway
Pit depth: Hoistway-based residential systems require 8–14 inches below finished floor at the lowest level; shaftless systems eliminate this requirement entirely
Overhead clearance: Plan for 11–14 feet of total clearance above the top landing for hoistway-based systems
Electrical service: Most residential elevators require a dedicated 208/240V circuit; confirm amperage by system before electrical plans are issued
Structural load path: The combined weight of the hoistway, cab, counterweights, and drive system must be reviewed with the structural engineer before structural drawings are finalized

Access Elevator’s team works directly with design professionals on plan review and specification coordination across New York and Pennsylvania. Our architect and builder resources page includes downloadable CAD drawings and brochures in .DWG and .PDF formats for residential, LULA, and commercial systems.

New Construction vs. Retrofits

Specifying a residential elevator in a new build and adding one to an existing home call for different timelines, different site constraints, and different conversations with the client from the very beginning.

Adding an Elevator to New Construction

Adding an elevator to new construction is the most straightforward scenario from a planning standpoint because the hoistway can be sized, positioned, and framed from the outset without disruption to existing structure. The pit and overhead clearance can be designed in rather than carved out, and all structural coordination happens when it is still easy to adjust. The key is getting residential elevator specifications into the drawing set early.

Home elevator installation in purpose-built hoistways also tends to follow a cleaner permit and inspection path, since the system is designed to code from the start rather than adapted from existing construction.

Retrofitting Into an Existing Home

Retrofitting a residential elevator into an existing home requires a site assessment before any specification work begins, because the viable location options for a hoistway or shaftless system depend on what the building can structurally support.

Stacked closets on multiple floors are among the most common hoistway candidates in existing homes, but stairwell conversions and exterior shaft additions are also feasible in some projects, though they add permitting scope and construction cost. Shaftless systems are frequently the most practical retrofit solution because they reduce the structural work significantly, though cab interior dimensions and travel height limits still need to be matched against long-term needs.

When a LULA Fits the Project Better

Home elevator specifications for architects working on low-rise commercial projects, mixed-use residences, or detached structures with upper living areas sometimes point toward a LULA elevator rather than a full residential system. LULA elevators are designed for buildings typically two to four stories in height and carry a travel speed limit of 25 feet per minute and a reduced capacity ceiling, which allows them to meet ADA compliance requirements at a significantly lower construction cost than a full passenger elevator.

The minimum cab dimensions under ADA guidelines are 42 inches wide by 54 inches deep, which is smaller than a commercial elevator cab but larger than most residential models. A LULA elevator is worth evaluating for a carriage house with an upper living area, a home-based professional suite, or any project where the code path sits at the boundary between residential and commercial use.

Put Access Elevator on Your Project List Before Structural Drawings Are Issued

Access Elevator’s CET and CAT Certified technicians support plan review, pre-construction coordination, and site-specific residential elevator specifications from the schematic phase through final inspection, so the project team has accurate dimensional and code information when decisions can still be made cleanly.

As part of the Cibes Lift Group, a global elevator manufacturer, Access Elevator provides direct access to product engineering, specification documentation, and CAD resources across a broad range of residential and commercial systems. Whether the project is a ground-up custom build or a retrofit, reach out to our team to get the specification process started.

What Architects and Builders Need From Residential Elevator Specifications Before Breaking Ground

What the Code Requires

Hoistway & Shaft Dimensions: Plan the Space Before You Frame

Traditional Hoistway Systems

Small-Footprint & Shaftless Options

Machine Rooms, Drive Systems & Structural Needs

New Construction vs. Retrofits

Adding an Elevator to New Construction

Retrofitting Into an Existing Home

When a LULA Fits the Project Better

Put Access Elevator on Your Project List Before Structural Drawings Are Issued

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